Lost & Found
by Marrrrss
Summary: Summary: Amu made herself Ikuto’s most important happiness and possession, and there was no way he was going to lose her.
1. Chapter 1

Found & Lost

Summary: Amu made herself Ikuto's most important happiness and possession, and there was no way he was going to lose her.

Ages for this story:

Ikuto: 19

Kukai: 18

Amu, Nadeshiko, and Tadase: 17

Yaya, Kairi, and Rima: 16

Special Note: Yes, in this story…the guardian charas are NOT humans. I know it's weird that for teenagers they're still keeping up their duties as guardians, but please…just bare with me. I like Amu a bit older because it just seems that much more prudent for her to end up with Ikuto.

Another special Note: This is my second fanfic. I decided to make a new one because my other story has gotten a writers block, and until I have any ideas for that story…I will continue this.

It's a bit short, but this is a thinking process. Here's chapter one.

* * *

He was always the mysterious type. Sly, gorgeous, and serious. Nothing ever appealed to him except the satisfaction of getting what he wanted. Though he had everything he wanted, irony pulled him back. What he didn't want the absolute most -he had in possession.

He was not free. He was bound to strings, pulled down roughly by the wires his stepfather had tied him with. He envied birds, coveted their freedom to fly. But, he wasn't free, so all he had in mind was the cat.

Cats were sneaky; he could escape majority of the time spent with Easter to just relax. But just like always, he'll get pulled back. Although he got what he wanted, there was no doubt that his life was filled with chaos and darkness. His life was filled with shadows, period. A black cat, suited him more.

He thought nothing can bring him happiness. But I was sure, his happiness was coming a whole lot sooner than expected.

"Ikuto nya," he purred, his adorable voice reached Ikuto's ear.

"What is it Yoru?" he asked annoyed.

"Nothing…nya." They were both tired… they've been working non stop recently. His stepfather wanted nothing more but to have that Embryo in his hands so he could provide it for Gozen. Ikuto's been collecting more than enough X eggs, but he would always be interrupted by people younger than him.

Ikuto had nemeses one to three years younger than him, all still in high school, for he had graduated just a year before. He met them not too long ago in a park he often played his violin in. It was not too long, just a couple of weeks ago.

There was one person he had no idea why but, despised him more than anyone else in the group. It was a boy named Hotori Tadase, the blondie. For some reason, the urge to just merely hate him to the core was evident as Ikuto felt the undying need to just kill him.

Then there was one person he had no idea why but, caused him to dislike her less than the others. It was a girl named Hinamori Amu, the pinkette. For some reason, the urge to not hate her was there -he tried desperately to not attack her at the least.

Ikuto had absolutely no idea why that was. But as he lay there on the grass, arms behind his head, and eyes above the sky…he couldn't help but think about it. Deliberate over his emotions and find a more reasonable explanation due to why he treated the two -Amu and Tadase- differently from the others.

For Tadase, he wouldn't give him any mercy -not one bit. He just wanted him dead, period.

For Amu, he would give her mercy. He wanted nothing more but to be gentle with her, period.

He couldn't understand how that could be!

Cat instincts? -What the hell was that?

Amu and Tadase were the same as the others, but something about them -his feelings he had for them- just separated them from the group. But, why was it those two? They didn't seem to be special in anyway, so why was it those two?

Tadase didn't do anything horrible to him, but if he did, it was just his job. Ikuto could accept that -that's why he didn't feel the need to go all out on them. Heck, if he could, and feel the strength to do so, even he would do horrible things to himself.

Amu hadn't done anything nice to him at all! All she's been doing was attack and curse at him, that's hardly a person someone should feel gentle towards to. And, the first time we met she called me a cosplayer, neko, pervert, majiggar -what the hell? So why was it that he hated Tadase for doing something he himself would do? Why was it that he was being easy on Amu for doing the same things Tadase has been doing?

It just didn't make sense!

Was it because Tadase was a pretty boy and Amu was a pretty girl? Hell, he just made no sense of himself. The brunette boy named Kukai was also a pretty boy, but that didn't do any effect on him. Amu wasn't any different either, he met a lot more pretty girls, he didn't treat them any different.

So what the hell was it!

I knew…obviously, but I wasn't going to tell him that! If I did, then the whole story would change, the relationship and the outcome would mangle up into something I never wanted it to become. What kind of a guardian angel would I become for Ikuto and Amu if I practically ruined their happy ending?

Ikuto rolled over, and closed his eyes. He didn't want to think anymore -in that moment he thought thinking was purely overrated. The wind picked up, but he didn't let it faze him as he snoozed into a deep slumber. He just needed to escape that darkness, he wanted to just be free, and the best place for freedom was there in his dreams.

I made my way to Amu. The little girl was on her bed reading. I was taken a back, I've been watching her for years, didn't want to seem rude but I didn't expect her to something as drastic as studying.

Amu was a smart girl, 4.0 student, and I was proud at that. But, though she gets good grades, I never once saw her study. Learning just came to her naturally, it wasn't that she cheats or has a photographic memory, it was just that she learns what she learns -nothing more to it.

"I can't believe I'm actually studying!" I smiled a bit, that was Amu for you.

Her charas flew behind her, and they greeted me with smiles. Surprisingly only those three charas knew that I was around, but strangely enough they couldn't hear me talk…I would say words but they would think I was just mouthing them. I guessed later that they could only see and touch me, but hearing me was impossible. Strange…

Ran, Miki, and Suu hadn't told Amu about me. I tried to give them a mental picture that letting Amu and anybody else know I was there was prohibited. Lucky enough, they understood me, and our little secret grew untold.

"Amu, Amu. Fight. Fight." Ran cheered, throwing her pom poms up in the air. "You have to study, this is the first time you've been spacing out in class."

"She's right desu," Suu chimed in, stroking a small part of Amu's cheek with her puny fingertips. "Is it about that boy we met weeks ago? Ikuto?"

I smiled, she was thinking about Ikuto? So she wasn't the only one thinking about someone. I wondered why though…I stifled a laugh, of course I knew why.

Miki and Amu groaned all together. "Ugh!"

"That annoying CAT!" they both screeched, almost in sync.

"I know!" Amu agreed as well. "Ikuto is just…ugh! I can't believe that he's doing that to other people's not hatched charas. It's just so…wrong."

"I wasn't talking about the big cat! I was talking about that annoying Yoru. He acts so cocky, not as much as Kiseki but…," Miki's voice fainted down, she couldn't bring herself to say anything more about Ikuto's chara.

"Ah Yoru is okay, but Ikuto isn't." I rolled my eyes, if only she knew.

"Whatever you say Amu, but I'm telling you… Yoru is much more worse." I rolled my eyes, if only she knew who's much more worse than Yoru.

"Okay desu, let's not bother Amu-Chan with her studies." Suu shooshed them away with a wave of her hands, then she grabbed her broom. "In the meantime, I'm cleaning desu."

With that, Amu went on with her studying and the three charas went off doing themselves their own tasks.

With nothing to do, I fled into the sky…absolutely bored, wondering when things will progress. I bit my lip, I was so lonely. Minutes passed silently and I just floated around in the sky, I drifted to where Ikuto lay.

A smile was on his face, then drifted into a concerned frown. I placed a ghostly hand on his forehead, frowning. I knew why he was frowning, and it hurt me as well.

"You'll be fine," I assured.

Then his words grew warm, then cold as he said those two names that confused him to death.

"Amu," he whispered warmly. "Tadase," he growled, his eyes tightening restlessly. I laughed at his child like behavior, shaking my head lightly as I took my hand away from his untouchable skin.

"If only you knew," I whispered.

_If only he knew what was going to happen…_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 ;]]

The Angel? Yes it's DIA.

-I know it's pretty short, but there _will _be lots of chapters to make up for it.

* * *

I was sitting beside Ikuto, though he didn't know it. Yoru was creeping alongside his jaw, looking over him to the building outskirts. The door creaked open, and there entered the only man who held Ikuto by wires.

It was Ikuto's Step Father himself. He glared over at Ikuto, who stared at him impassively.

"I see you still haven't retrieved the Embryo. What useless person!" he barked out. Throwing aside unimportant papers off his desk. Ikuto's mouthed twitch as he heard the somewhat insult. The man really knew how to get on Ikuto's nerves.

"I don't see your men doing any better!" he retorted. His Step Father glared over at his direction, Ikuto not even flitching as what Yoru did. He didn't allow this man to faze him, he wasn't worth it in Ikuto's eyes.

"Don't you dare speak like that to _me_. Do not forget that I am _still_ your Step Father." Ikuto just rolled his eyes as he sat back down. Yoru pulled on his collar worried. "Don't overwork him like that Ikuto…" Ikuto didn't take his advice, he just simply ignored him, looking over at the pain in the ass.

"Why'd you call me out here?"

"Recently, the Guardians have been a huge problem for Easter."

"I know," Ikuto said, not even allowing the Director to finish his sentence. "I've already met them, not long ago."

"Oh?" He sat on his chair and looked over some papers speculatively. "Then I want you to do some researching on them. Especially this Amy girl, apparently she seems to be the Joker in the crew… Not only that, but I think most of the guardian's strength comes from her in particular."

Ikuto smirked, he was indeed _interested_ in our little Amu… looking after her in particular was going to be fascinating for him.

"That's not gonna be a problem," he whispered, smiling as he did so.

"That's good."

Ikuto was released early, pondering over his mission now. "So I have to spy on them." He smirked as he remembered who in particular he had to keep eyes on. "So I have to spy on _her_." He leaped on a tree up ahead.

"Guess I have to find that little strawberry first."

"Oh MAN!" Amu groaned as she stretched her arms up in the air. She had just finished school, and now she was taking her usual route home. Then on her way home, her stomach had started growling.

"Aren't I hungry," she whispered ashamed.

"Oh! That's lets buy some Taiyakas!" Miki chimed in cheerily. Amu nodded her head in agreement as she went on a little detour to a park near by her house that sold some chocolate filled Taiyakas. They were one of the BEST.

"Sure, I hope I have enough money." She looked within her pocket, counting her money. She smiled radiantly as she realized she had more than enough money.

They made it there in less than a minute. "Uh, can I have 5 Taiyakas?" The man who sold them smiled warmly at her, then gave her a brown paper bag filled with the delicious sweets.

"Here you go, young miss."

Amu smiled warmly and took the treats from the kind man's hands. "Thank you very much!" When Amu turned around, she saw her three charas leaving her behind. Amu pouted insulted and ran after them.

"You little ditchers!" She tan to them, then…tripped.

I sighed…Amu can really be such a klutz.

"Ouch." Then Ikuto appeared before her, kneeling down. Amu couldn't see his face, all that was visible in her eyes were his shoes.

"What did you fall on?" He chuckled. There wasn't anything bumpy on the sidewalk she had ran on, her shoelaces were neatly tied as well. That could only mean she had tripped on her own accord -her own to legs that made it possible for her to stand. If she couldn't use them well, then somebody should've given her wings…Ikuto thought jokingly.

Amu bit her lip. "Normally, people would laugh _then_ help the person up," she scoffed up, wiping the dirt off her face.

Ikuto rolled his eyes as he made his way over to the brown bag, which had been poorly thrown to the ground. He looked inside, his favorite snack.

"Yes," he agreed. "Any normal person would do as what you said. But I'm the last person you would want being helped by, and you're the last person I would want to help."

Ikuto was such an amazing liar! I could feel him, the moment Amu's face touched cement, I could tell that Ikuto was wondering whether or not she was hurt. He had _wanted_ to help her, that was the only reason as to why he had shown himself -revealed himself- to her, though she hadn't seen just yet. But as he realized his mistake, he just laughed it out.

An enemy couldn't be _that_ close…

"What do you mean…Ikuto…" She stared at him confusingly. She shook her head. Was she seeing clearly, she thought. Blue hair, midnight eyes, the _same_ outfit he had worn last time they had met. It really was!

"Ikuto!?"

"Yes young girl?" Amu shook her head, looking away from those somewhat SAD eyes. It somehow made her feel guilty, pitiful over him for some reason. It wasn't right.

"What are you doing here?"

Ikuto smirked, looking away from her too. "I can't be here, _Amu?" _Amu pouted, there he went teasing her again.

"Can you shut up?"

"I have the right to talk you know." Amu snatched the brown bag away from Ikuto and looked inside. She wondered if he took some out secretly. When she counted five of them, she had rested assured and wrapped the bag back down.

"You're so annoying, you know that?" she retorted, crossing her arms and glaring at him. Her usual "Cool N' Spicy" attitude showing up again. This time she allowed it to show, she just really didn't like him.

Ikuto grinned at the so called "insult". He had known all about her little outer character, the ones students found amiable. That's just another thing about her that made her stick out more than the others, and it was just another information that seemed to intrigue Ikuto even more.

"I know I am. But I'm pretty sure _you're_ the only one who finds that I am."

She stuck her tongue at him, a little reaction Ikuto found quite adorable. Being the bully to her again, he snatched the brown bag away from him and looked within it, smiling and chuckling a little when he laid eyes on the five Taiyakas.

He knew three were for her charas. So it only meant two for her. "Either you're fat, or that extra Taiyaka is for me." He finished it off with a huge smirk. Amu rolled her eyes and took the bag away from him again.

"NEITHER!" She screeched, trying hard to push the blush that were already creeping over her ivory cheeks. Ikuto laughed as she slapped herself; Amu could feel the embarrassment as she felt the heat befalling her.

Then there was a stomach growling… It was Ikuto's. It surprised him, he had forgotten it had been so long since his last meal.

Amu looked at him, in her own little dilemma. She wondered if she should be kind enough to give her "enemy" her treat or not. She sighed, she always decided to be the _better person._ Amu forced a smile as she dug into the bag. Reaching out for the largest Taiyaka.

She held it out for Ikuto to take. All he did was look, not sure if he should grab it or not. Amu nodded her head in encouragement, but she did not look at him. When seconds passed and the Taiyaka was still in her hands, Amu groaned. "Do you want to eat it or not?"

"I'll eat it." Ikuto took it from her hands and took a huge bite out, starting from the tail. Amu walked pass him and went straight home.

Ikuto just stared, engulfed in his own bubble.

Amu really _was_ a person worth being gentle and easy on. She was so kind, Ikuto couldn't comprehend it. Why would the enemy care for the other -though he wondered that, it didn't come to mind that he was doing the same.

He groaned as he realized it. Realized it as he saw Amu walk away.

This was a problem. This was horrible! Not only for Easter -which he cared less of- but for him as well. He didn't want to endure the pain… the sacrifice… he was secretly afraid. Amu was different. He knew there was going to be something about Amu that would just blow him away. Ikuto wasn't stupid -he knew. He knew that one day, he would find Amu more addicting than she already was, he would find her more interesting than usual. He just knew! And he _feared_ it.

_He feared he'll like her one day…_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

* * *

Ikuto laid on the grass, as usual he looked up at the sky. Yoru hid in his hair, yawning as he released himself out of his snooze.

"Ikuto nya," he purred innocently. Slowly, Ikuto closed his eyes, letting the wind tickle his cheeks.

"Hmm?"

"When are you going to start stalking that Amu girl?" _Amu…_ Ikuto grimaced as he caught one word that disgusted him. He would never do that with her, it just wouldn't seem right to him. It would seem WRONG.

"Stalk," he sneered out. "I'm not stalking her. I'm _spying_ on her." Yoru rolled eyes.

"Same thing nya," he tried to reason. I shook my head, they weren't the same.

"Not they aren't." He sighed, he had to lie to himself again. "I'm not watching her because I want to." In denial, and he knew it. In fact, he did _want _to…he just couldn't find himself to admit it. Because he would find it as, wrong.

"So why aren't you?"

"Amu, has school right now," he answered simply, his tongue caressed her name tenderly as he said it. "She finishes in another hour."

Ikuto had work today, but just like any other rebel in high school, he ditched it. He never ditches daily, but just once in awhile with days like these. Where the sun was warm, the breeze gentle. It was only in relaxing days like these he would just sneak his way out of work and just, well, relax.

An hour had passed by quickly, and Ikuto was already on his way to her high school. He leapt from tree to tree, planning to stay up above rather than being down. Being up felt more _free_ for Ikuto. He liked it that way.

He could hear the bells up ahead, and he forced himself to quicken his pace.

He made it just in time, the Seiya Gate was full of leaving high schoolers, but Ikuto only waited for the guardians in particular. But then he saw them.

He frowned as he realized a special color was missing.

There was brown (Kukai), Blue (Nadeshiko), Orange (Yaya), Dull yellow (Rima), Dark, very dark green (Kairi), and Blonde (Tadase).

Where had the pinkette gone off to? He sighed, maybe she wasn't attending today, he thought. He looked over at Tadase, he was the second most important. "Guess I have to settle for that "king" Tadase." Ikuto frowned.

Ikuto crept into the shadows of the trees. He wasn't going to get exposed, he wasn't going to show himself in this mission to no one but Amu. Only her, because she was fun to tease.

Not being able to hold her inner bully, Ikuto cradled a small pebbled, in which he found in the depths of the tree's bark in his hand. With precise accuracy and average speed and strength, Ikuto beamed it to the back of Tadase's head.

Quickly, Tadase touched the small of his head and looked behind desperately. An annoyed and disbelieving look on his pretty boy face. Ikuto held in his laugh as he watched the poor Tadase find the culprit helplessly.

I rolled my eyes. Ikuto be so childish at times, it surprised me whenever I see him even _act_ mature.

"Hey, are you alright?" Tadase just nodded and waved it off.

"Yeah. I see you guys tomorrow." The others just nodded and left, Tadase taking a turn right,

"I wonder what things this guy has in stored for us," Ikuto mused, leaping from tree to tree. Ikuto sighed, struggling to keep his eyes open. In his eyes, he just saw the word BORING in huge letters.

So far he's made a detour pass his route home and made his way to an ice cream stand.

"Could I have Vanilla ice cream?" Vanilla? What a kiddy flavor, Ikuto thought. He was sure that if it was Amu, she would have ordered Chocolate.

* I actually like Vanilla more than Chocolate. No Offense to chocolate lovers, I love chocolate too but, I just like Vanilla better. I guess I'm considered a Kiddy Kid too huh? -Go figure. *

"Man… This is so boring!" he whined in a whisper. He just wished that it was Amu he was watching right now. He could be hundred percent sure that watching her would be much more exciting.

The only thing he's learned from Tadase is that he liked Vanilla ice cream.

"I'm gonna go back to Seiya High. I'm sure there's something there that'll come to my liking." He ran from the area, back to Seiya High school.

He entered and just sauntered around the area, looking in every direction. People still on campus looked at him in wonder.

Ikuto had remembered his years in high school. The girls would swoon for him, the boys would just be envious of him, but really…there's was nothing to be envious about. No one wanted to be _not_ free. Freedom is a privilege, and Ikuto didn't have that.

It was just two more months until Ikuto would probably have to repeat those years. He was now heading to college, much as to Ikuto's demise, he didn't want to go… he thought of it as just a waste of time.

All Ikuto wanted to do was to play his violin, that was it. He didn't think he needed to study about anything else.

Ikuto didn't know what to look for in a place like this. Why'd he come here, of all the places to decided to look -like Amu's house, why would he end up going here? He looked to his right, and continued looking there. He saw a glass dome, it caught his attention.

I knew that dome, it was where the guardians hung out in, a place where they uphold their meetings, a place to relax in. The place was exclusively _only_ for the guardians, no one had stepped one foot in there except the seven guardians. No one even dared to.

But Ikuto was the first to.

He wasn't even scared to.

He walked over there, opening the door slightly and looked around suspiciously. If he had to run away because the place was prohibited from students, he was getting prepared for it. But until minutes passed and he realized that no one was here, Ikuto took a step in.

He looked inside, he didn't need to defy over it. The place was beautiful.

Flowers bloomed in all sorts of places, it was like an indoor garden. Their were patches of roses and Lilies. Daffodils and Sunflowers.

Then what caught Ikuto's eyes, were the patch of pink. It reminded him of Amu, he wondered what flower that could be.

He stepped closer curiously, and when it motioned, he took a cautious step back. Rapidly, the patch of pink turned and was automatically replaced with golden orbs.

He blinked once and let the picture register in his mind. It couldn't have been Amu right? It just didn't come to him yet, he was frozen still. Amu was still as well, but not out of confusion, but out of shock. She was wondering why Ikuto was here. But she couldn't find her mouth to ask him.

Then after probably a minute, Ikuto realized that it _was_ her. He was amused by himself, how was it that whenever he seemed to go, it would lead him to her. He would always find what he was looking for, who he was looking for. He would always find Amu…

He shook his head and smirked.

Playfully, Ikuto leaned forward, Amu stumbling back. Her face exploding with a beautiful color of red. She blushed profusely and Ikuto couldn't help but find that incredibly adorable.

He leaned forward, their noses touching. The proximity between, becoming to hard for Amu to handle.

"Hello," he whispered huskily at her. His breath touched her cheeks, warming it up as it was already heated by him to begin with. "Amu," he finished afterwards.

Finally finding her voice, Amu stuttered, "w-wh-what are you doing here, Ikuto!?"

Ikuto chuckled as his signature smirk widened. "I'm just here to visit my favorite girl…"

_His favorite girl…_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

_Watch as the stars collide!_

_

* * *

  
_

Amu bit her lip confused. His favorite…what? Did he just say his favorite girl? She thought. Amu shook her head, dismissing the idea clear away from her mind. Clearly he was just teasing her, but it seemed serious enough when Ikuto said it.

"Favorite girl my BUTT!" Ikuto laughed a little and brushed the hair that was slightly off from the others with the tips of his cold fingertips. Amu shivered a little at the touch.

"Don't trust me?" Amu shook her head quickly.

"Not really…"

"But you are… _Amu_."

Amu blinked her eyes. She was wondering if he really was telling her the truth. Just this once, could she afford to trust her enemy?

Amu shook her head, it just couldn't BE! Ikuto, Amu, _his_ favorite girl. Ikuto was messing with her, that's all Amu had to believe in.

Stubbornly, Amu pushed him away and trudged pass him.

Ikuto smirked as he playfully followed her. When she stopped to turn around, Amu turned her back to him and slipped his arm around the young girl's petite frame. He pulled her close to his chest, not intending to let go as Amu tried to struggle her way out.

"You seem mad," Ikuto whispered in her ear, running his nose up her neck.

"I _am_ mad," she seethed, trying desperately to pull his arms away.

He ran his nose up her jaw and breathed into her ear. "Why…?" He smirked as he had seen Amu turn crimson red.

"C-c-an you s-s-st-stop teasing me l-like t-t-that?" she stuttered and Ikuto just chuckled as he laid his head on Amu's, eyeing her red ear carefully. He leaned towards it with his lips.

"Tease you? Like how?" he asked, then he bit her ear. Causing Amu to release massive strength and send him flying far away. Amu cupped her ear with her gentle hands and shook embarrassed. She looked at Ikuto with an irate expression and

"Like that!!" Amu barked, dramatically annoyed. Ikuto rolled his eyes and turned over to her retreating figure. "Why don't you go back to _Easter_?" I bit my lip, 20% damage inflicted…

Worriedly I looked over at Ikuto, he was biting his lip and looked down to the ground ashamed. "I _should _go back to Easter huh?"

"Duh! You _belong_ there!" Ikuto knew it was Amu's outer character that was saying that, but still it hurt for him. To have her say he _belonged_ in the place he hated most, it would definitely bring some kind of affect on the person.

"So I belong in that hell hole huh?" he said gloomily. Amu's eyes twitched, she wondered if she heard right.

"Hell hole?" she whispered in a breath. She wondered why Ikuto would call the place he "supposedly" belonged to, a hell hole. Was it that he was _forced_ to do the things he was doing? Forced to collect all those X eggs and destroy them? She wondered if she had judged him to quickly. To quickly to know the better side of him.

She shook her head. No way… what if this was all a trick? She couldn't succumb to feelings of sympathy or pity.

"No! NO!" she yelled, shaking her head. "I can't, no… I _hate_ people like you!" I sighed, the probably dealt at least 60% of damage to Ikuto. Ikuto's face fell as his clutch around her lightened up.

"People like me?" he asked in a hushed whisper. A frown now plastered onto his face. He wondered what Amu saw him as, he knew it would be something negative, but he wanted to know, as the curious black cat he was.

"What about me?"

"You who harasses people! You who destroys dreams without even hesitating!" Amu…thought of him like that…

"I… Where's you charas?" he asked hastily, trying to change the subject. It hurt, being thought of like that by her…it was painful. He didn't let it show his face, but it was burning inside -like a wildfire that refused to be extinguished.

"Why should you know? So you can destroy them?" Ikuto let his arms slip from her waist. She had must really disliked him to go that far with him. It was so hard for Ikuto, Amu just had no idea what's been binding him down.

"I'm not _like_ that!" Quickly he chara changed with Yoru and leapt from the glass dome, leaving Amu all alone realizing the words she had said and the face she had received.

Ikuto found himself walking in a path familiar to the eyes. It had already been night, the moon shone right above, bringing peace to this place.

He was lost. Not lost in direction, he knew perfectly where he was. The trees, sidewalk, and best of all the small little stage that stood in the middle of this gorgeous park. The park where he had first seen her. Sure, the guardians were there when Amu was but, when he had opened his eyes, the first thing he had seen were those glowing golden orbs. The first person his eyes met was Amu.

Ikuto was lost mentally. Amu thought he was bad…straight to the core horrible. He didn't know anymore, he didn't know how to get on to her good side -and he wanted to be on that side. But, he knew that was impossible now…Amu hated him, period. He wasn't sure that he would have the ability to change that mind of hers. He just really didn't know!

He sat on the first couple of steps that lead to the small stage. As he remembered, Amu had slightly misunderstood him when they first met.

He didn't meant to gather all those X eggs up the night where he had first seen Amu, he just started playing and it all just came around him, he didn't even realized it (his eyes were closed throughout his playing session)! That day, Easter was overworking him to the bone, and Ikuto just couldn't stand it. To release all those frustration and anger he felt on that dreaded day, Ikuto had walked to this very park and played crucially on his violin. Freeing all those emotions.

When he opened his eyes, he just met her, and all around surrounded X eggs. That's when she had started judging him perhaps.

This time he felt pitiful…dejected….he needed to get away from it all! "Yoru!" he snapped. "Go back home and retrieve my violin, I feel like playing." Yoru nodded his head and flew quickly away, understanding that he had wanted to vent.

While waiting, Ikuto watched the moon up above. Watching it as it shined, as it brought relaxation to his body. The moon was gentle, it was just like her, he thought. Amu was gentle, it was just how she puts up her façade that makes her seem like she wasn't.

Yoru returned not long after, a black case in his hold. Ikuto took it from him and placed it on the ground, opening it.

There on the side, was the Dumpty Key. He had wondered countless times who had the pair; Humpty Lock, but he didn't really seem to care about it. He took the violin from the case and stood in the center of stage.

He placed the base onto the crook of his neck and began playing. A melancholy tune, full of grief and sorrow, it brought heartache to all those who happened to hear it.

This was all Ikuto's _true_ feelings. All of them, his sadness, misery, his cageness. It was all being expressed on this night.

The wind blew in the night, it caressed his hair, and brushed against his ivory skin. Ikuto frowned, his own music bringing himself down.

The song came into a drifted end. Ikuto opened his eyes unwillingly and saw a pair of glowing golden orbs. Almost like déjà vu.

Just like that night…he had met her again.

"Amu…?"

_Anything can happen under the moonlit night._


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

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"Amu…?"

Amu stood still, looking at his tortured look. The look of a deprived child, though she had questioned it last time, Amu really _could_ feel the sorrow of the man who stood before her. It was no trick, it was all real.

"Ikuto," she whispered.

The first time she had seen him, was when she had first judged him. He played so roughly, in such an aggravated way -it made Amu assume that he was automatically a down right bad person. And all the X eggs that had surrounded him, was just another way to say that he was. But, she hadn't noticed that _this_ was what he had been feeling as well, and it made her feel terrible.

The melancholy tune he had played with his very own hands, that sorrowful frown that seemed to be stuck on that pretty face of his, and the way his body slowed in movement. It depressed anyone who saw it.

Amu pouted as she laid eyes on him. _What had she done…?_ she thought.

The words she had said to him. She wondered if it had really hurt him, if it was the best decision. Sure they were enemies, but Amu despised the idea of being _mean_ to anyone, anyone he surely had no right to be cold towards.

"Ikuto," she repeated, a crack in her voice as she gazed upon those dull eyes, the eyes that matched the midnight atmosphere.

Ikuto, dumbfounded shook her head and walked his way to the steps of the stage. He leaned over to his violin case and placed his instrument in its rightful home. He was wondering why Amu was here, why she had come during this time of night.

After caring for his violin he turned his way over to Amu, who continued staring at him with the same soulful expression. Ikuto decided to just forget her words, his shouldn't let it get to him, though it did. He just HAD to forget them all.

Ikuto made his way over to her, staring at her. He raised an eyebrow as he realized Amu being in her own little bubble. He doubted that Amu could see him right now. He knelt down to her level, hoping that this would catch her attention. As a result…nothing. Ikuto sighed disappointed, he was certain that his breath that touched her face would be enough for her to shriek embarrassed.

"Amu," he reprimanded. "It's rude to stare at someone."

She blinked once. Twice. The shook her head as she looked deep into Ikuto's eyes. She could only see sadness, with a bit of hope. Now, she forgot all about their proximity and just looked into him more.

"Ikuto…," she whispered, ashamed of herself.

Ikuto pulled himself back up, crossing his arms together. He smiled at her. "I think you've said way too much times. I'm guessing you've grown fond of the way my name rolls off your tongue?" Amu's eyebrows twitched. "So why did you come? Decided to follow me cause' you got lonely?" This time, her mouth twitched.

"Shut up, you're annoying." She crossed her arms and forced her eyes to glare at him. Then she sighed and let her arms drop to her sides. "Ikuto, I'm sorry."

Ikuto raised his eyebrows, he really didn't expect that. "For what?" He wondered if he was apologizing for the nasty comments she had spat at him. I rolled my eyes, of course that was the reason why.

"Back there, when I said all those things. I'm sorry." Ikuto didn't plan to say anything about her apology, so he just ignored it and moved on. What's done was done.

"So why did you come here?" Amu bit her lip and walked around him, speculating his rear. Ikuto grew slightly ashamed, thinking of the possible reasons why Amy would look around him. "Uh, are you going to answer?"

Amu lightly touched his back, she found what she's been looking for. The reason why she followed him in the first place.

"It's my locket. For some reason, it just clung to you like a magnet." Amu yanked it away and revealed the locket to him. Ikuto widened his eyes.

_She_ had the Humpty Lock that matched with the Dumpty Key?

"Where did you get that lock?"

"Secret," was all she had said. Ikuto nodded his head.

"Yes… Secrets, we're all full of them." And apparently, Ikuto just had too much of them.

"Good Night Amu." And without warning, Ikuto chara changed with Yoru once more, and fled from the two. Leaving Amu once again, alone…

"I don't think Ikuto is bad," she whispered all of a sudden, catching all her charas by surprise. "I just can't seem to see it. Ikuto, being bad? After that little show I've witnessed. I really just couldn't see it anymore."

"Don't think too hard on it," Miki cautioned. "It _could_ just be all an act." Amu shook her head, doubting that little sentiment.

"No…I don't think it was just an act. You should've seen him you guys, he was so…_sad_!"

"We all get sad once in awhile. It'll pass," Miki whispered stubbornly. Ran rolled her eyes and made her way over to Amu.

"We _could_ have seen it, if it wasn't for someone who just _had_ to leave us behind with Ami." Amu laughed and looked at Ran apologetically.

"I'm sorry you guys…"

"Don't worry desu. I believe you Amu-Chan. If you say Ikuto isn't bad, then I'll believe." Amu smiled at her green little friend.

"Thank you… I just hope the others feel the same."

"Others?"

"Tadase, Kukai, Rima…_others_…the guardians." Amu sighed, what would they think about this issue.

They had a meeting that afternoon. Everyone reported in their glass dome, smiles on everyone's faces, but Amu was dead serious when she sat upon the table.

"What do you guys wanna talk about?" Yaya asked enthusiastically. Amu leaned over and rested her head on her elbow.

"I wanna talk about that Ikuto person."

"_That_ thieving cat? Why him?" Tadase growled, clearly annoyed at the brought up subject. Amu looked over at Tadase, silently taken aback.

"What do you have against him?" she asked confused. She had never seen Tadase so disturbed, just the sound of his name was more than enough to send him exploding in anger.

"Well he _did_ collect all those X eggs," Kukai defended.

"But how do you guys know he did it _willingly_?"

"Does it matter?" Kairi chimed in, looking at Amu skeptically. He wondered why Amu was sticking up for her enemies, why she was being so concerned over them?

"It does. It means that if he's not doing it willingly, then he's being forced to do those things, thus meaning he isn't such a bad person. It's wrong to assume he's the bad guy when it really isn't his fault."

"How would you know if he's being_ forced_, as you say he is?" Yaya was looking at her curiously. Amu shrugged, that was left undecided. But how about vise versa?

"How would you know if he _is?_"

"He _isn't! _Whatever it is that made you feel that way Hinamori-San, it's all lies." Amu glanced over at Tadase. How the HECK could he had been so sure?

"Tadase-Kun…," Amu whispered.

"We don't know if he's clearly at fault -like what Amu declares, but there's also no proof that he isn't," Nadeshiko noted to all of us. "So we'll have to wait and find out." The meeting ended at that.

Amu bit her lip unsatisfied. Ikuto wasn't BAD! She just knew he wasn't…

_No, he's not bad, period._


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_Ps. I had forgotten how this episode went, so it's rewritten in my way._

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_

Days had passed momentarily, and it had been a long time since Amu had seen Ikuto. It was approximately eight days she had last seen him.

Amu was walking down the street. Lights spewing everywhere, and everyone crowded the areas. It was already almost ten and she was far from home. She sighed, thinking about how her dad has to say about all this? She wondered if she'll get one of those daddy lectures.

I gave a quick sigh, I remembered the time where Amu and her father had "The Talk". The dad clearly wasn't ready for it…but there was just no choice.

"That was so scary." Amu overheard them talking as they neared her.

"I know…I hope he isn't injured."

"I'm sure he's fine, he had _cat like_ reflexes." _Cat!?_

"But one of them had a switchblade!" Once that sentence had been said, Amu found herself running frantically. Looking everywhere. Though dark and crowded, Amu couldn't help herself but just search every corner.

_Ikuto_! She plead mentally. _Be okay…_

She stopped frozen when her eyes picked up a slouched figure. She looked down to see a small creature licking a man's wound.

It had blue fur, ears, and it had…YORU!? Quickly, Amu made her way over there, looking down on Yoru who plead for Ikuto to be alright.

Amu dropped to her knees and examined the cut, she sighed relieved as she noticed that it wasn't too deep. She just needed to wrap it around with some clean cloth and disinfect it once he had the materials.

"Amu!?" Yoru yelped surprised. Amu gave him a warm smile she replaced Yoru with herself.

"Geez, we've never seen each other for eight days and when I do, you're in trouble."

"Please help Ikuto nya," he purred. Amu nodded her head as she took a cloth from her pocket. When she was just about to place it upon his cut, Ikuto's eyes opened up, and a smirk commenced.

"So you've been counting the days we've been apart?"

Amu rolled her eyes and groaned. "Can you not say it in such a sick way, please?" Ikuto chuckled.

Amu placed her handkerchief on the base of his wound carefully. Then slowly she added pressure, receiving a flinch and grimace from the one and only Ikuto. "Ouch," he whined. Amu pulled back slightly and frowned.

"Oh, I'm sorry…" Ikuto pulled back a little and plopped down onto her lap. Amu stayed still, her blush torturing her cheeks. Ran, Miki, and Suu squealed.

"LAP NAP!?" (Lols, What did they say?)

"Oh um…" Amu didn't feel the need to push him away. He was indeed _injured. _Instead, she just looked over his appearance. His hair, his face, his skin. She smiled slightly as she teased his silky, long, midnight blue hair. He really _was_ cute. Then accidentally, she touched the tip of his ear with her fingers.

"Don't touch me in erotic places?" _Erotic?_ The word lingered on her mind. She didn't think she had touched him in an erotic place, what did he mean?

"Erotic?" she voiced her confusion.

"My ear," he answered. "It's sensitive, just like yours."

Amu recalled the moment he had bit her lip. I shook my head.

"Ikuto," I whispered though no one heard me. "That was the most stupidest thing you could have said!" Amu bit her lip, not letting the annoyance show on her face. Lightly she placed both hands on the side of his head and brought it up, she then picked it up and maneuvered her legs away. At the same time she dropped Ikuto's head down to the ground.

"Ikuto!!" Yoru screeched as Ikuto's head met cement. (Honestly, I laughed when I heard Ikuto screech in the anime. XD : gotta love Yoru.)

"Amu-Chan…," Ran whispered ashamed.

Ikuto plopped up and held his head closely together, enduring the pain. "Oww!"

"Serves you right!" Amu whispered harshly. Ikuto just smirked and got up, turning around to Amu and lend her a hand. Amu stared amongst it confused, wondering what she had to do with it. _Grab it…?_

"Let's go." Amu raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?"

"He means he'll take you home." Amu looked at Yoru unsure. Then she looked over to Ikuto.

"You know where I live?" He did not answer. Instead, he just shook his hand, encouraging her to just take it. Eventually she did and Ikuto lifted her off the ground.

Ikuto lead her into a path full of sly routes. Amu looked around figuring something out, something that was so obvious. "You really _are_ an alley cat," she whispered mystified, following him carefully in his cat directions. Hearing that, Ikuto smiled.

"Well of course, but I have something I want to show you." He lead her into a dark area, only the stars illuminating some shapes. Amu looked around curiously as Ikuto made his way over to the power switch. Swiftly, he pulled it up and flashes of lights consumed the area, revealing a never before seen mini amusement park. Amu stared at it in awe.

"I didn't something like this was in my neighborhood. How did you find this?"

"I used to go here when I was a child. Too bad it's going to be shut down soon," he whispered solemnly. Memories of his childhood before he grew miserable was going to be soon disappearing. Amu looked up at him confused.

"What do you mean shut down? Why?" Ikuto shrugged and looked down at the small pinkette, then smiled.

"I don't know." He then pushed her out there while he sat down on a near bench. "Why don't you go on and have some fun before that happens?" Amu looked at him, a twinkle in her eyes. She really wanted to…but dangit her image kicked in. Stubbornly, she crossed her arms and turned her back on him.

"Only kids rides." Ikuto frowned, he knew her Cool n' Spicy attitude. He was _not_ going to fall for it, and there was no reason she should be acting like that towards him. Ikuto found it a bit disturbing and interested, but he would rather have Amu act natural towards him, he didn't want to be like the others who she would find needing to be acted all Cool n' Spicy toward to.

"No one's here," he reminded her truthfully. Then there was silence.

Abruptly, Amu jumped in the area, a child's face. Ikuto couldn't help but smile inside. "What do you want to ride you guys? What do you want to ride first?" she asked enthusiastically towards her charas who looked just as eager as she was.

They all agreed to something, then they all turned to him. "Wanna come?"

"Nah I don't feel up to it." Then they ignored him and she just snatched Yoru away from Ikuto.

"You're coming with us." Yoru desperately tried running away, but Amu's grip on him was just evidentially too tight for him! Ikuto CHUCKLED as he saw Yoru plead needlessly.

Ikuto watched them smile, and laugh. He watched them enjoy their time together, he hadn't even realized that so much minutes had already passed when they came to me running, panting. Amu accusingly pointed a finger at Ikuto, her expression irate.

"YOU! Stop wasting your youth and enjoy the rides with us." Ikuto looked away and yawned.

"I'm tired just from watching you." Ikuto looked back at her, she pouted. Then she took his hand and forced him into a ride, unfortunately for him, it just HAD to be the teacups. Amu couldn't stop laughing at Ikuto, and he just flowed along with it.

"Why do you act like that?"

"Like what?" Ikuto sighed. He knew she was feigning ignorance, so he just stared at her until she became uncomfortable. "Okay. You're talking about my outer character huh?" I nodded my head. "Well it all started once Ami was born. I kinda wanted to have a good role model towards, the big sister one -the tough and confident one. Then all of a sudden they labeled my attitude such a "Cool n' Spicy", then it just clung to me. It was kind of hard to just turn it off. It was all for my sister's sake."

"Oh," was all Ikuto could say.

"So how about tonight!" Amu said aloud, confusing Ikuto to the bone. He raised an eyebrow and questioned her intentions. "How about we change this very night? Not completely…but step by step," she explained.

"Why would I want to change?"

"You may not say it, but I think you definitely _think_ it, am I right? You're hiding secrets, and you want to escape from it all. So both of us…why don't we change that?" She saw through him? Ikuto smiled and nodded. She was something, wasn't she?

Then the power went out leaving them in the darkness. I guess there wasn't any other option but to drop her off, and Ikuto did just that. In the starry night, coated by Ikuto's arm, Amu looked up at him when she reached home. She turned to look at her house, feeling his arm leave.

"Thank you Iku-" But when she looked around he wasn't there.

Ikuto was already strolling back to the place he belonged. "Good Night Amu," he whispered.

_Apparently, only she was able to see through him._


End file.
